THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

403-Fatman Scoop featuring the Crooklyn Clan-Be Faithful.

1999-It didn’t chart until 2003, when reaching Number 1.

Best Bit-At 0.23. If your looking for the answers to the great questions, such as the meaning of life, then your definitely on the wrong page this time.

Just because a song is not serious, or doesn’t have any hidden meaning, is not justification for passing it over. If there is a message it is ‘have fun,’ and that is just what this song has achieved, bringing together, and putting a smile on many a face.

Fatman Scoop was born Isaac Freeman III on August 6th, 1968, he died on August 30th, 2024, after collapsing during a performance in Hamden, Connecticut, United States, CPR was administered at the scene and he was rushed to a nearby hospital. It was later announced that he had died. His death was determined to be from natural causes, due to hypertensive heart disease and atherosclerosis, he was 56 years old. Fatman Scoop acquired his nickname, which was also his stage name, as a baby from his Unkle Jack, who would call him ‘Fatman Scoop,’ because he loved to eat ice cream. Fatman Scoop was also very famous as a ‘Hype Man,’ in ‘Hip-Hop,’ and ‘Rap,’ a ‘hype man’ is a backup rapper or singer who supports the main act with interjections, and who attempts to increase the audience’s excitement with ‘call-and-response’ chants. They are also of great use if a Rapper is on stage for long periods, by taking over for a short while to let the main act catch their breath.

Fatman Scoop spent a great portion of his career trying to keep himself in the public eye, In 2004, he was featured in the UK TV series ‘Chancers,’ broadcast on Channel 4, mentoring six British musicians trying to achieve success in the United States. In 2007, he had a role on the animated television series ‘The Boondocks,’ appearing as himself in season 2, episode 5, ‘The Story of Thugnificent,’ and also in episode 15, ‘The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2,’ from the same season. In 2008, Fatman Scoop and his then-wife Shanda hosted a reality show and podcast on MTV called ‘Man and Wife,’ the show covered topics such as jobs, finance, relationships, and sex. On August 27, 2015, Fatman Scoop entered the ‘Celebrity Big Brother 16: UK vs. USA’ house in the United Kingdom as a contestant. On September 14, he was the third housemate to be evicted, on day 20, where he finished in 11th place.

The discography of Fatman Scoop includes 12 singles released between 1998-2024 with Fatman Scoop as the lead artist, he has also appeared on a further 18 singles as a featured artist between 2001-2018. Fatman Scoop has released three official compilation Albums between 2003-2015. He has never had a top 40 hit on the American Billboard Hot 100 as the lead artist, with ‘Be Faithful’ stalling at Number 92 in 1999, but he has charted on occasions as a featured artist, with the track ‘Lose Control,’ by Missy Elliott featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop, peaking the highest at Number 3 in 2005. In the UK, Fatman Scoop has had two top 40 hits, with ‘It Takes Scoop,’ with DJ Kool, reaching Number 9 in 2000, and ‘Be Faithful’ peaking the highest at Number 1. As a featured artist, the single ‘It’s Like That,’ by Mariah Carey, featuring Jermaine Dupri and Fatman Scoop, peaked the highest at Number 4 in 2005.

‘Be Faithful’ was produced by DJ Sizzahandz and DJ Riz, who formed a partnership in 1993 in Brooklyn, New York, and go by the stage name of ‘Crooklyn Clan,’ they have worked on many tracks for other artists over the years, with this song being their most successful. ‘Be Faithful’ was originally released in 1999, but due to getting in to legal difficulties over the many samples in the song having to be cleared it was taken off the market, in 2003 after everything was sorted the track was reissued.

‘Be Faithful’s’ main sample ‘Love Like This’ by Faith Evans, was a 1998 song that reached Number 24 in the UK chart, the ‘Faith’ in ‘Be Faithful’ is Faith Evans, she is the widow of ‘The Notorious B.I.G.’ (see also best songs 955 and 307) ‘Love Like This’ itself was created from the 1978 track ‘Chic Cheer’ by the band ‘Chic,’ from their Album ‘C’est Chic.’ The song also samples the 1991 Hip-Hop song ‘The Choice Is Yours’ by the American Rap duo ‘Blacksheep.’ ‘The Choice Is Yours’ quotes ‘Engine, Engine Number 9,’ which in turn is used in ‘Be Faithful,’ ‘Engine, Engine Number 9’ was originally written and performed in 1965 by the American Country singer/songwriter Roger Miller (1936-1992,) although Miller does not receive songwriting credit. There are also another four songs that were sampled, ‘Party Ain’t a Party,’ from Queen Pen, ‘Hip Hop Hooray,’ by Naughty By Nature, ‘Off the Books,’ by The Beatnuts,’ and ‘Can I Get A….’ from Jay-Z. In total 16 artists receive songwriting credits on the track, including Nile Rogers and Bernie Edwards of Chic, (see also best songs 432-175 and 17) and members of the American Funk band the ‘Bar-Kays’ (see also best songs 831-398 and 1.)

‘Engine, engine number 9, on the New York transit line. If my train goes off the track, pick it up, pick it up, pick it up.’